Newspaper Rock

Interactive Map

Overview

History buffs and visitors who wish to delve deeper into the history of the native peoples who once populated Petrified Forest National Park will want to stop to take in the anthropological wonder that is Newspaper Rock. While the name is a bit misleading (there's more than one rock, and the petroglyphs on them can't be read like a newspaper), there is still plenty to see and appreciate at the site.

Petroglyphs are the main attraction at Newspaper Rock, and the vast volume of glyphs combined with the large variation in style indicate that this area was an important place for the ancestral Puebloan people. Modern interpretations of the petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock include calendar events, symbols with spiritual meanings, territory boundaries, or specific family and clan symbols. There are more than 650 individual petroglyphs, spread over multiple rock faces in a concentrated area. Some of the original artists may have lived at Puerco Pueblo, and the age of the rock art ranges from 2,000 to 650 years old.

While "reading" the petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock may be impossible, this site is still an amazing place to appreicate the long history of the area.

Short Walk: A short path leads visitors from the parking area to an overlook where the glyphs can be observed.

Family
Friendly: Kids will wonder at these incredible petroglyphs, and the short journey necessary to reach them is well worthwhile.